The Hustle

Penny, played by Rebel Wilson, is a small-time con artist operating in Australia. To attract unsuspecting young men like Jeremy, portrayed by Timothy Simons, she uses photos of her alluring “sister,” Madison, who is actually a fabricated character. When meeting these men under the guise of scouting for Madison, she cleverly requests $500, claiming it’s for a breast enlargement surgery to boost Madison’s self-esteem. Unfortunately, Penny finds herself pursued by law enforcement due to complaints from previous victims, prompting her to escape for a few weeks until the heat dies down.

Across the globe, we find Josephine, played by Anne Hathaway, a suave con artist who runs her schemes with a team, conning some of the world’s richest billionaires. Frequenting the glamorous casinos of the South of France, she pretends to have won an impressive lottery prize of $87 million. Her next target is a desperate Danish billionaire named Mathias, who has lost a fortune and is cut off from further credit. As she skillfully plays her hand, he hands her expensive jewelry in exchange for chips. However, her ruse is uncovered when the police inspector Brigitte, played by Ingrid Oliver, captures her in a staged arrest.

“Our idol is the legendary con artist Medusa, but her identity remains shrouded in mystery.”

Fate intertwines the lives of these two con artists as they encounter each other on a train journey to Beaumont-Sur-Mer. While Penny tries to charm a fellow passenger into paying for her dinner under the pretext of raising money for her kidnapped sister, Josephine shares her own tale of deception. Initially, Josephine tries to mislead Penny by describing Beaumont-Sur-Mer as a favorite spot for women seeking other women, directing her to ply her trade elsewhere. However, the next day, she is surprised to see Penny arrive with a billionaire named Gregor—a man she has been targeting.

Penny soon finds herself arrested under a scheme engineered by Josephine, who takes advantage of the situation by bailing her out with funds stolen from Penny herself. Josephine advises her to leave before the Russian mafia gets involved due to her association with Gregor. At the airport, Mathias confronts Penny, demanding the return of a valuable bracelet that she unknowingly possesses. This complicates matters as Penny realizes she has been outsmarted by Josephine, igniting a desire for revenge.

Determined to make amends, Penny approaches Josephine and requests to learn her con artist tricks. Expressing reluctance but recognizing she has no choice, Josephine agrees, leading to a series of humorous exploits as they con wealthy targets together. Under Josephine’s guidance, Penny adopts new personas and strategies, including posing as a blind girl in need of an expensive surgery.

Their rivalry escalates as their insecurities flare, leading them to compete against each other for the attention of Thomas Westerburg, played by Alex Sharp, a wealthy tech entrepreneur. Each woman devises elaborate ploys to outwit the other. Josephine, taking on the guise of a fake doctor, aims to debunk Penny’s act while Thomas remains blissfully unaware of the chaos around him.

Despite the competitive tension, Penny discovers her genuine feelings for Thomas as he expresses his dream of innovation, creating a bond that’s purely motivational. Amidst all the con and deceit, Thomas reveals he too is a con artist—with an ancestry tied to the infamous Medusa—and proposes that the three of them join forces to form an even more formidable team in the world of high-stakes deception.

Throughout this whirlwind of schemes, rivalries, and unexpected alliances, Penny and Josephine learn about the fine line between deception and trust, revealing that even in a world dominated by cons, genuine connections can emerge.

Last Updated: October 27, 2024 at 16:28